What swirl marks, most up to date conveyers do not even use rotating nylon brushes anymore, they use soft spongy stuff. Not to mention some water jet only washes (not IMO). Price wise, since 2005 I have not paid more than £10 for these washes (that's for "The Works", and nowadays there's one up on that with better wax).

 

Also, what is the point of pristine looking car bodywork when underneath the suspension and drivetrain are completely rotten after a few salty winters (unless your hand wash involves putting the car on ramps and waxing it underneath). If washing the car manually makes you happy, fine, it's as good activity as any other, but it's good to bear in mind that you leave the part of your car that is working hardest (underside) underwashed and unwaxed.

 

As I had stated, I'd avoid static auto washes at all cost, but finding a good conveyer wash is not hard nowadays. There's one in every mid-size town, as is evident from the map below.

 

As usual, YMMV, if you find one with a lazy attendant and half machinery missing, try a different one.

Edited 10 December, 201411 yr by dieselV6

"but it's good to bear in mind that you leave the part of your car that is working hardest (underside) underwashed and unwaxed"

 

 

I do that bit too.

 

Just undersealed my other car and have pressure washed it since underneath. The Toledo will get the same treatment, when it's dirty under there.

"but it's good to bear in mind that you leave the part of your car that is working hardest (underside) underwashed and unwaxed"

 

 

I do that bit too.

 

Just undersealed my other car and have pressure washed it since underneath. The Toledo will get the same treatment, when it's dirty under there.

 

Same here, had a guy do mine a few days after I finished patting around getting the defects fixed by the dealer - I thought everyone had their cars undersealed? Seems illogical not to given our weather conditions.

My Toledo is waxed underneath, because I got it on my hands when fitting the mudflaps. Sadly my Mazda was looking a little worse for wear at 7 years old with surface rust in parts underneath. All treated now, and I hope to keep it like that whilst I own it. One rule is, I never use it on salted roads. :(

I take it you have access to ramps / 4 wheel lift on a regular basis, and lots of time to spend on washing the car by hand. I don't, so conveyer wash it is for my car, and I'd say for most people who want their car washed and waxed all round without taking 1/2 day off to do that.

 

Frankly, unless you do it by yourself and go the extra mile, around the town I have yet to see a non-conveyer wash that does the underbody, manual or otherwise, and there are at least 4 or 5 car washes in the area. Cars might come from factory with underbody waxed, but the subframe, shocks, springs and similar components are not, they are usually protected by ever thinner silicate layer, and the extra wax does slow down corrosion there.

 

Though from 2nd year onwards I just coat anything prone to rust with zinc spray, wax then serves to slow down galvanic zinc consumption.

My Toledo is waxed underneath, because I got it on my hands when fitting the mudflaps. Sadly my Mazda was looking a little worse for wear at 7 years old with surface rust in parts underneath. All treated now, and I hope to keep it like that whilst I own it. One rule is, I never use it on salted roads. :(

 

How do you get to work on icy days Mick?

How do you get to work on icy days Mick

 

Work, what's that????

 

I haven't worked for 20 months now, retired.

 

I do like to keep my other car (two seater soft top) in tip top condition, it's a bit of a garage queen and when on the road takes me on my jaunts around Derbyshire and further afield. Yes I'm referring to this car not going on salted roads, the Toledo does brave the winter roads but it will get cleaned underneath at regular intervals during winter.

 

dieselV6

 

Yep have the time, got the ramps. I've even been offered a four post ramp equipped workshop to do it, so will look into that option for next year.

Both our cars need a damn good wash but we both have had terrible colds/coughs, so the incentive isn't there. I can put up with a filthy exterior but a **** tip of an interior is just plain shocking.

I'm interested to know how much I should pay for someone to give the car a pre-winter clean (I realise a tad late!)...?

That all depends what you mean by a pre-winter clean.

If you mean a proper winter protection detail - you are looking at £100-125 for a car the size of a Rapid.

If you just want the car valeted (no deep cleaning, no polishing, no winter wax or sealant application), you can get a competent valeter to do that (and do avery good job) for about £30.

Just paid the local K************** lads £5 for my car's winter wash

 

It needed it but I wasn't going to bother - I had to do in the end it cos I'm taking SWMBO out to dinner tomorrow.

Edited 13 December, 201411 yr by camelspyyder

For £100-£125 you can get a decent brainwash, not just a car wash, it seems   :p

All round wash and wax including underside for £10 in local imo-arc automated conveyer wash. Takes under 5min incl waiting.

Edited 13 December, 201411 yr by dieselV6

If you mean a proper winter protection detail - you are looking at £100-125 for a car the size of a Rapid.

 

I'm trying to think of a car that size that...

 

Maybe a classic 911 or 308GTS would possibly be that size and deserving of a £100 wash.

 

but even then only if they were concours - not daily drivers

I'm trying to think of a car that size that...

 

Maybe a classic 911 or 308GTS would possibly be that size and deserving of a £100 wash.

 

but even then only if they were concours - not daily drivers

Not a wash - a winter protection detail - enormous difference.

For that kind of money, you would get something around the following (in the interest of speed I've lifted the following from Detail My Car, great firm over in Newbury):

The standard winter package starts with DMC's ultimate multi-stage wash process:

Citrus Pre-Wash applied all over the entire car

Snow foamed and rinsed

APC and a Detailing Brush used to clean all vents, grills, mirrors, window runners and badges

Wheels deep cleaned using various wheel cleaners including CarPro IronX to remove any fallout and brake dust that's embedded.

Arches cleaned with Meguiars APC & Super Degreaser and multiple brushes

Tar removed from all surfaces (incl wheels where safe) using the best Tar remover on the market

CarPro Iron-X sprayed over paintwork to remove any fallout and iron particles.

Clay bar used to remove any remaining contamination from the paintwork

Hand washed with DMC Ultra Gloss Bodywash+ and our fantastic Ultimate Wash Mitt (100% Merino Wool) via the usual 2 bucket method

Moved inside the studio to be patted dry gently using Uber towels and an electric hot air dryer.

Following this we will polish the entire vehicle in 1 stage with a mild paint cleanser / polish to remove some of the light swirls and damage but mainly to further deep clean the paintwork and prep it for sealing / waxing.

The vehicle is then completely wiped down with CarPro Eraser to ensure a squeaky clean surface ready for protection.

Paintwork, Headlights, Plates & Wheels (faces only) are then protected with an extremely durable Wax or Sealant in the form of Collinite 476S Super Double-coat wax, or FinishKare FK1000p Hi-Temp sealant.

Plastics and Trims treated and protected.

Tyres all dressed and cleaned to finish off the car ready for collection.

I'm sure you agree, more than just a "wash" and more than the average scratch wash will do.

A pro detailer will charge around £30 for a maintenance wash.

Or £100 could buy a reasonable android tablet for my lad, a spa day for SWMBO, or a couple of hours in an "entertainment" bar for me.

 

 

 

If cleaning motors is your job, I'm not trying to belittle it, but I don't believe the car will look 20 times cleaner than mine does after spending £5.

 

The only time I'd go to town on it was if I needed to sell the thing - then I'd spend a tenner.

Or £100 could buy a reasonable android tablet for my lad, a spa day for SWMBO, or a couple of hours in an "entertainment" bar for me.

If cleaning motors is your job, I'm not trying to belittle it, but I don't believe the car will look 20 times cleaner than mine does after spending £5.

 

The only time I'd go to town on it was if I needed to sell the thing - then I'd spend a tenner.

As I've previously said, at the end of the day, the main thing is that you are happy with your preferred method of cleaning your car. Everyone has their own opinion on this - and certainly not everyone is the automotive clean-freak that I am (I'm a hobbyist detailer and only work on my own family's cars, my day job is media-related). It's good to have a debate.

However, my experience (and its one shared by many other daily driver owners, have a look over on Detailing World for example) is that a proper detail, with the right products and performed with care, will absolutely produce better and longer-lasting results than your local scratch wash or mechanised car wash will ever achieve.

Moreover, in wintertime, a good slathering of a robust wax or sealant will massively reduce the impact that road salt, grime and other muck has on the paintwork and other external faces of the car - to the point that with that nice layer of protection in place, you can pretty much forget about car cleaning until the spring if you want. It also creates a barrier that prevents that salt and grime from bonding to the metal bits of the car, so that in many cases, you can get most of it off in the interim with little more than a quick touchless blast with a pressure washer (maybe aided with some pre-wash to move things along).

Given your possible long-term parking-up of the Toledo, this same approach would be worth considering to protect it if it's going to be parked out in the open. Something like Bouncer's Fortify or Soft99 Fusso Coat (which can last upwards of a year) would be a good choice and both are quite cheap to buy. Fusso Coat is particularly easy to apply. Shame you are not a bit further south, would be happy to let you use some of my gear to do it.

Just my two cents. You can always drop off the car at a detailer while you go relax in a nearby strip club - great way to combine things

Just read this... http://www.topgear.com/uk/photos/10k-car-wash-2014-12-12 

What swirl marks, most up to date conveyers do not even use rotating nylon brushes anymore, they use soft spongy stuff. Not to mention some water jet only washes (not IMO). Price wise, since 2005 I have not paid more than £10 for these washes (that's for "The Works", and nowadays there's one up on that with better wax).

 

Also, what is the point of pristine looking car bodywork when underneath the suspension and drivetrain are completely rotten after a few salty winters (unless your hand wash involves putting the car on ramps and waxing it underneath). If washing the car manually makes you happy, fine, it's as good activity as any other, but it's good to bear in mind that you leave the part of your car that is working hardest (underside) underwashed and unwaxed.

 

As I had stated, I'd avoid static auto washes at all cost, but finding a good conveyer wash is not hard nowadays. There's one in every mid-size town, as is evident from the map below.

 

As usual, YMMV, if you find one with a lazy attendant and half machinery missing, try a different one.

 

With all the driving over christmas and new year I couldn't take it anymore the rapid was to dirty! I dropped my wife off at work and put IMO car wash in google maps (other maps are available) to find my closest wash... I followed the directions to the closest but I arrived at someone's house... 2nd try! This time I turned in to a busy IMO car wash, they had an offer on for their ProSheild (top wash) so I went for that.... I was actually very impressed, they were polite & helpful. They pre-washed the car using a spray, I wasn't to keen when they got out the long brush (looked a little like something I'd use on the floor at home), they got me to drive forward so they could do the wheels properly, jet washed it to rinse off the soap and check the car over before I finally went in to the auto wash. Lots of different colours of soap, a rinse, a few very soft looking brushes, a rinse and then this BIG blue 'ProShine' sign and a load stuff sprayed over the car. This was followed by the best blow dryer I've ever seen - up there with the dyson air blade hand thingy

 

Anayway, very impressed and the car looks good - sadly its a little far away to use regularly but as a quick clean up when I don't have the time and I'm in the area its a yes...

 

Jon